


My Bride Wears a Waterfall Yukata

by Hitsugi_Zirkus



Category: Free!
Genre: F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Outgrown, Tumblr: makoharufestival, female!Haruka, female!Makoto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-15
Updated: 2014-04-15
Packaged: 2018-01-18 05:29:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1416841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hitsugi_Zirkus/pseuds/Hitsugi_Zirkus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a memory Makoto thought she forgot, but seeing the yukata, she remembers the night when Haruka had worn water.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Bride Wears a Waterfall Yukata

**Author's Note:**

> And with this, I've posted up all my entries from the makoharu festival on tumblr! :D This one had a lot of stuff added to it because I butchered the story down originally, so hopefully it's a lot better in quality now. Sorry it took a while to post; college has been a killer.
> 
> There's not very many yuri pairings I support, so sometimes I like to make my otps girls to satisfy my needs. Needless to say, my regrets are zero.

“Haru-chan, I found it!” Makoto picked up the box and carried it out of the mass of other dusty cardboard.

Haruka looked close to scowling at the nickname Makoto slipped out sometimes, but seemed to forgive her when she looked into the box Makoto dug up. The two had been bustling around Haruka’s late grandmother’s room for almost an hour. Most of her possessions were still in place, Haruka never wanting to disturb how the room was. Suffice to say though that Haruka’s grandmother had surprisingly been, well, a hoarder. As such, it had taken awhile before the box they wanted was discovered.

Inside were many intricate kinds of hairpieces, put in their own little boxes or rolled tissue paper. A case of make-up and some combs and brushes were also a part of the treasure.

Makoto looked at the pieces in surprise. “Oh wow! These are really beautiful! Are you sure your grandmother would be okay with us using these?”

“No one else uses them,” Haruka said, pulling out a hairpiece still wrapped up. “She would think it a waste. In any case, these will be enough to satisfy Nagisa, right?”

Makoto laughed. “She’ll be squealing all over.”

Nagisa had been bouncing on the walls getting the three of them, plus Rei, Rin, and Kou, to go to the summer festival. It was the first time they were together in years, and now they had new friends to spend time with too, so going to the festival together for a night of fun was the best plan in Nagisa’s opinion. She insisted that they get as dolled up as possible, so even though it was just a summer festival, she thought it’d be nice to do each other’s hair and make-up. It made Makoto, who never wore make-up, embarrassed to even think of it. Being together with friends though, that was the important thing that made her smile.

“She’s been so into this. She even went shopping with you for a new yukata.” Makoto tried not to sound sad about it – since she had to help Amakata-sensei yesterday, she couldn’t go out shopping with Nagisa and Haruka to pick out a yukata. Everyone had one except Haruka, who seemed to deem it right to say last minute that she didn’t have one that would fit her.

Haruka’s lips set in a thin line, clearly displeased with the memory. “It was so troublesome,” she said. “She made me try on nine of them.”

“Ah, but you got a suitable one after all that, I’m sure?” Makoto asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Haruka’s blue eyes looked to the side, thoughtful. “I got the right one.”

Makoto made an excited sound. “I can’t wait to see you in it.”

“Mm…” Haruka put the piece back into the box and got up. “Nagisa is going to barge in here soon with everyone. I’m going to pick up a bit. You can go on and decide which hairpieces to bring out and such.” She brushed some of her long dark hair over her shoulder before walking out of the room.

Makoto watched her go, smiling a bit. Even though Haruka didn’t like getting caught up in things like these, she surely hoped the festival would brighten her mood. She looked back into the box, carefully unwrapping a few pieces. There were flowers and moons and stars, some had little shells hanging off them, and one was even a delicate butterfly that Makoto decided to set aside for Rei.

 _They’re all beautiful_. Makoto couldn’t decide which ones would be best to set out as options for everyone. And knowing Nagisa, she’d want to know all the options. Makoto nodded, opting to just get the whole box. When she lifted it up, her heel bumped harshly into a box behind her, and she gasped, turning to make sure nothing delicate was in there.

There wasn’t. Cloths, bright or pastel and patterned, peeked out inside. Makoto blinked in surprise at the folded yukata, putting her box down _. If Haru’s grandmother left a bunch of yukata behind why didn’t Haru just borrow one of hers?_  One yukata in particular caught Makoto’s attention, making her lose her breath. She pulled it out of the box, feeling as though she had pulled out a distant memory as well.

It was an old yukata of Haruka’s. Makoto had seen her wear it when they were eight years old. It was the first time they went to a festival together, and so it was the first time she’d seen tomboyish Haruka in a yukata. It was of very soft cloth, and if Makoto had to compare its feel to other yukata, he’d say it was more “elegant” than “gentle”, somehow. It was a brilliant azure color like Haruka’s eyes, and wasn’t heavily patterned. Tiny light-blue flowers wiggled their way down the clothing, like they were being swept away by currents. Her sash, a creamy white, appeared like sparkling sand on a beach.

When Makoto laid eyes on Haruka, she thought it was like her friend had found a way to tame water, and that it was now spilling over her body in breathtaking clothing, like a waterfall. For the first time, Makoto felt she understood the meaning of the word “beautiful”. And, mesmerized, she had blurted without thinking, “ _Haru-chan, I want you to marry me_!”

Makoto’s cheeks burned in less than a second, staring at the small yukata.  _Did I really say something that childish and embarrassing?_  She couldn’t even remember how Haruka had reacted, only how beautiful she looked, and that Makoto wanted them to live happy together like her parents did, so that no matter what, she could wake up to Haruka there…

“Oh my god.” Even though she was embarrassed, Makoto folded the yukata back up. Before she packed it up, she gave it another long, wistful stare.  _This wouldn’t fit Haru anymore, hmm?_  Well, that didn’t matter. Haruka would always be beautiful to her. Thinking of what kind of yukata she and Nagisa got made her excited and she picked up her box again.

Haruka was sweeping the living room when Makoto came in, and Haruka raised her brows, halting her broom. "You brought the whole thing?"

"I couldn't decide," Makoto confessed with a laugh. "Where should I put it?" Haruka continued to give Makoto a judgmental stare before nodding over at the coffee table. Makoto plopped the box down there, smiling at her friend. "I was wondering if you wanted maybe to put make up on each other. Nothing fancy, of course! Maybe some lip gloss, and we could paint on nail polish that match our yukata."

As expected, Haruka made a disagreeing face. "What for? It's not a big festival."

Used to the blunt rejections, Makoto insisted, "I know, but it's an excuse to look pretty while we're already getting dressed up. I think it'd be fun. And I really want to do it with Haru-chan." She leaned forward a bit as she said it, staying hopeful. All it took was just a little prodding, and Haruka usually gave in. 

After a second, Haruka sighed. "Do what you want."

Happy for the victory, Makoto went to her bag that laid next to their shoes at the from entrance. "I got a new make-up kit from my aunt and wanted to try it out," she said, bringing out a smaller lime-green bag and going back to the living room. Haruka leaned the broom against the wall, sitting next to Makoto to peer at the bag's contents. Makoto set out small tubes of glimmering lip gloss, all of varying shades of pink. 

Truth be told, Makoto was inexperienced with make up. She knew finding colors that were suitable and matched the outfit and skin tone were important. Still, looking back and forth from the lip gloss to Haruka's face, she couldn't decide on a particular shade to apply. "Hmm, well, you've got really fair skin, Haru-chan," she said, trying not to sound envious. Even though Haruka spent so much time swimming outside, the tans she got were never really dark and paled before the week was over. Makoto herself tanned very easily. Humming, she picked one tube up. "Let's try this peach color."

"I have to go first?"

"You can do me first if you really want to," Makoto said, surprised. She waited, and Haruka looked at the spread of lip gloss intently. After a moment of deliberation, Haruka picked up a darker shade labeled "French rose pink". Makoto gave it a skeptical look but sat up a bit straighter as Haruka uncapped it. 

"Purse your lips." Makoto did as she was instructed, only to have Haruka reach out and gently tug at the corner of her lips, relaxing them. Blue eyes focused solely on her mouth. "Not so much." And with that, Haruka began applying the gloss over Makoto's lips. With the intent stare her friend gave, Makoto would've thought putting on lip gloss was an art. It was hard not to smile when Haruka was being so serious about it, but Makoto did her best to even her breathing, idly picking at her jeans.

They had been friends all their lives, but they hadn't sat down and done each other's make-up before. Sometimes Makoto brushed Haruka's long, silky hair, loving to put it in a braid just to feel the strands over her fingers. If they went shopping, it was Makoto who got a bunch of clothes and asked for her friend's opinion, always self-conscious because cute tops never really fit over her ample chest. But all those times didn't compare to how acutely aware Makoto was now that Haruka was focusing on her. 

Haruka pulled back and Makoto pressed her lips together like her mother would do to even the gloss. "So how does it look?"

"French rose pink is good on you," Haruka said simply. "I don't know why you made such a face when I picked it out."

"I suppose I should trust your judgment more," laughed Makoto. "You are the more artistic one, after all."

Haruka shrugged and handed Makoto the peach lip gloss before leaning in expectantly. Makoto's heart jumped, staring at Haruka's lips as they made a small pout. They were thin, and a shade of pink Makoto had never given notice to before. She hadn't paid particular attention to their slight curve, but Makoto stared at where Haruka's skin ended and her lips begin, marveling on how soft they must be as she applied the lip gloss. The shade was a bit lighter than she would've liked, but the glimmer continued to attract Makoto, as did the sweet scent. She was disappointed to be done all too soon.

Haruka rubbed her lips together too. "You put too much."

"Oh, sorry! Should I get a tissue?" Makoto decided to leave the gloss out for Rei, Nagisa, and Rin, and that left her hands - and eyes - idle again.

Haruka shook her head, licking her lips a bit. "It's fine." 

Makoto was shocked her first thought, casual in its intrusiveness, was that she wanted to ask if she also could taste the gloss from Haruka's lips. _Stop that already_. She smiled, the gloss feeling too slick on her lips. "Nail polish then? I don't have very many colors, but I think I have a shade or two of blue." She looked at Haruka knowingly, her friend looking embarrassed that it was obvious she had a blue outfit. "Why don't you show me the yukata so we can get the right shade?"

After visibly considering it, Haruka wordlessly got up and padded out of the room. Makoto smiled, wondering if she should go get hers as well. She didn't really have any orange nail polish though. Maybe blue would be okay for her too? The light-blue might look nice. Would Haruka mind if they might have the same nail polish? Experience told her no, but Makoto still wondered. 

"We really should go to festivals more often. I need more experience with this looking pretty business," she called out with a sigh, brushing back some hair behind her ear.

She didn't expect Haruka to answer back, especially with a, "Makoto is naturally pretty. You shouldn't need to try for anything with your looks."

Makoto's cheeks got hot. Her? With her broad shoulders, tall stature, too-big breasts and messy hair? She played it off with a forced laugh. "What are you saying? You're the one who doesn't have to try, Haru-chan, with your slender body and silky, black hair." _Your eyes are gorgeous too. And your lips, as I've learned today_. Makoto sat on those thoughts a bit until Haruka came back into the room.

"Ah…” Makoto nearly fell back at what she saw. “ _Haru-chan?_ ”

It was like she was being transported back in time, except they were older, had experienced a lot more, and definitely had more mature bodies. The effect was astounding. Haruka's dark hair was tied back in a messy bun, and truthfully, her sash looked a little bit crooked. Even so, the blue cloth that was gracefully draped on Haruka’s form took Makoto back to that night when they were eight. The same yukata, the same Haruka, and still as beautiful as before, if not more. _Didn't I just say you were effortlessly breathtaking?_

Makoto swore her heart was going to burst.

"Makoto?"

She realized belatedly that she was staring too long. “I’m sorry, I just remembered…”  _Ah, no! Haru doesn’t need to know that! She forgot it a long time ago anyway. The fact that she has…the same one… Complete coincidence_!

“It’s the yukata you saw me wear when you said you wanted to marry me,” Haruka said, cheeks growing a dark pink. Makoto’s eyes widened because Haruka  _remembered_. “I wondered if you remembered. But obviously that yukata… I’ve outgrown it. I didn’t want it to mean you outgrew what you said. So when Nagisa took me out, I saw it and…” She looked away at that, and Makoto saw her insecurity plain on her face.

 _Outgrown what I said_? After ceasing to deny it, Makoto realized she obviously meant the childish proposal. Haruka had purposefully gotten that yukata, knowing that both of them would remember its gorgeous blue sheen like water, and the feelings Makoto felt blossom in her that night. Had they blossomed inside Haruka too?

Heart soaring, Makoto went over to embrace Haruka, trying not to do something too overexciting like spin her in a circle. “I haven’t outgrown it! Even if I just remembered the yukata, those feelings were something I never outgrew! Haru, Haru…” She took her hands, smiling widely and feeling her eyes begin to glass over in happiness. “Haru-chan,” she made sure to hold Haruka’s gaze, “I want you to marry me!”

Haruka’s eyes got bigger, her lips slightly parted in a soft gasp. But her surprise quickly gave way to acceptance. She pressed her forehead against Makoto’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” she said, “and I want to marry Makoto.”

That time, Makoto  _did_  spin Haruka in a circle, lifting her with her surprisingly strong arms until embracing her again, nuzzling into Haruka’s chest. Over and over she chanted Haruka’s name happily, and Haruka offered a very tiny smile, looking every bit the most gorgeous being in Makoto’s world.

Of course, whether or not Haruka did wear the yukata, she would always look like Makoto’s perfect bride.


End file.
